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<p>Was that part of what I quoted? </p>
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<p>Key word: “often.”</p>
<p>wait, niquil was kidding about traveling to zimbabwe to visit a tribe? i was stunned by the casualness of that statement.</p>
<p>Maybe a little.</p>
<p>But I don’t worry about college 24/7. It’s in the back of my mind, yes- but that’s not what motivates me.</p>
<p>You’re really asking in your post- is it not enough to just be? And for me, the answer is no. Because if I just be, I’ll be dissatisfied with my life. I want to make a difference, change lives and essentially help people on a large scale. </p>
<p>And frankly- it’s easiest to do those things when you are powerful. A politician has far more potential in terms of making a change than your average joe. Same goes for any high level occupation- top notch researcher, superb lawyer, doctor etc. </p>
<p>And to become powerful, you need to be well equipped and trained- with connections and knowledge. All of those are far easier to get at HPY than at Podunk State. I, personally, want to be a scientific researcher. And while you can get a PhD from countless schools in America, the truth is (Cal Newport blogged about this recently), it’s a lot easier to become great if you’re in a lab that’s used to producing high yield papers, a lab that is known for high quality science. Being around great people usually helps you to become great yourself.</p>
<p>I noticed this with my own high school. My previous high school was a highly competitive place where usually the top kids got into multiple Ivies, and at least 2 dozen go to top 20 schools. I knew quite a few kids in “top” group and I frankly learned a lot from them. Not only did I look up to them quite a bit, but I also picked up tips on the admissions process, research, clubs etc. This both motivated me to work hard- because I saw kids being successful, but also showed me how to be successful. </p>
<p>1 year later, I moved to a new school. The kids here are not half as motivated or focused. Often times, I find myself losing focus on school, just because of the environment. I’m basically alone when it comes to everything- asking to write the PSAT, starting clubs etc. </p>
<p>Anyways, I think there’s a lot to be gained from going to a top school, starting firstly with the student body and general environment. You get to be around people who are successful and continue to strive to do well. You get to learn from the best- compare Caltech’s research opps with those of a State U. </p>
<p>So in conclusion- I think there’s a lot to be gained from going to a top school and since I know I have a shot at making it, I push myself. And even if it doesn’t all work out perfectly, I will have done lots of cool things, matured a lot, met new people and generally grown up. </p>
<p>/end rant. I hope that makes sense…I should really be in bed by now.</p>
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<p>Yes, yes, I was just kidding, but I was serious about my friend who went to Ghana.</p>
<p>@ecounter</p>
<p>My friend, she’s a biological research scientist at Fort. She went to a local state school, Hood College (The one my brother is going to yay~) and graduated with a B.S. in Biology and Wildlife Management and then got her M.S. at the same school in Bio-medical Sciences. She’s doing research on breast cancer. She’s making a difference, without going to a top school, or with a Ph.D. She’s my hero, she showed me that you don’t have to go to a top school to become successful and make a difference. 
I don’t even want to be a scientific researcher lol. Of course going to a top school is a “wow” experience, and it’ll be so cool to go to one, but some people can’t afford it or doesn’t have what it takes. I work hard, by I know that I will never look through a window at a top school lol. While I was in New York, this man told me (based on my memory :o) that triumph comes in many shapes and forms. The roads for these triumphs also come in many different shapes and forms. But you have to know that they all lead to a common place, happiness. I thought this was corny when I first heard this, but it makes sense.</p>
<p>I admire you motivation and you certainty of getting into a great school, but the best education isn’t always at the “top” schools. :)</p>
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<p>I’m sorry, but that’s a rather condescending viewpoint. You are branding those who criticize the “tryhards” (for lack of a better term; aka Group X) as “less-than-talented,” implying that those who are not advocates of this gun ho life or death attitude towards admission at elites are uniformly less intelligent. That has a bit of an elitist tone to it. </p>
<p>My personal view is that there is in fact a third group that is a mix of X and Y. The ones who take enormous numbers of AP’s, have astronomical SAT scores, compete in major national and international competition and yet are still chill about it. These are the ones who either do things for fun, or maybe even more commonly, do it because it’s good for admissions. However, their attitude is not “it’s good for admissions, must be good,” but rather a more reluctant “fine I’ll do it, but I won’t like it,” and they end up destroying the competition anyways.</p>
<p>Most point is that simple black and white dichotomies never work. And from my own observations, at the higher state, national, and international level you start seeing much more of this third group of people, blessed with incredible abilities but who remain calm and cool human beings. And they seem to be a real hit with the admissions officers.</p>
<p>Then there’s the fourth group who really are less intelligent but are cool anyways.</p>
<p>That’s my take on things. Any thoughts? Criticisms?</p>
<p>What you said HallMLuke, was really interesting… I am only competitive because I know that so many others are also competing towards one goal: success and happiness. </p>
<p>You put me in a room of ordinary people (of all ages), and I stand out. I am unique. I have an IQ of 136, I am in classes above everyone my age in my public high school, I have a talent for art–I wrote a two-hundred page book when I was nine in the course of a month and a half. It was written quite well for my age and I proceeded to seek a publisher to publish it. When I was a child I told my grandmother how old she would live to, I was could hold up conversations with people twice my age in kindergarten, and knew no difference between me and the adult in front of me excluding size and height. You and me, we stand in a room and we stand out–we are different and above average. We see this and seek out the above average schools, the education that will represent our intelligence… </p>
<p>The brightest child will instantly be compared to Harvard or Yale, by him or herself, or by the people around him or her. It doesnt matter what the child is looking for; a small town, a specific science program, a college by the beach, a place that is Religious or Non-Religious. Either way, this child will be viewed the same way. So now, we step into this room at our college, and we meet and greet people all around us. But the difference now, is that all these people are just as smart as you, and in this content you are now average.</p>
<p>I dont know if that was a good answer or not… but even though the thousands of people at our school may not be going to the lengths we are, thousands and tens of thousands of students are doing the same things as us all across the globe to ensure a college that they can be proud of, a college they can become successful from, a college that will guarantee them happiness. But we both know no one can guarantee these things. How will going to a community college and a private college change the level of your happiness just the same as going to a public or a private highschool? It has just become a societal view on things where all these businessmen and lawyers and wealthy people have gone to these great schools and the public view the admissions to this school as a paved road to glory. We dont consider the charisma that went into getting this job here, or the luck that we sold our stocks before they dropped or the hardships and late hours people went through to get where they are… I will still try extremely hard to get into a great college, because in a sense, it does better your chances of getting a job later in life, and does affect your income and lifestyle at times.</p>
<p>I think you’re only taking it too seriously if you’re not enjoying yourself along the way. I take school SO seriously. I’m really passionate about trying to be the best I can. I always try to do what I can to get the highest grades cause I LIKE learning. This summer I’m reviewing all the stuff I learned last year. It’s not because I’m trying to get ahead or self study for an SAT II or AP exam. I just really want to retain the things I was taught last year. It isn’t all for college. It’s because I want to. I’m not sacrificing social time for school. I spend time with my family, friends, and my dog too! Of course I’ll miss a party the night before a really big final, but I won’t lock myself indoors on the weekends because I’m doing extracurricular activities that I don’t even like just to have it down on the apps.</p>
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<p>If someone really and truly loved education, why wouldnt s/he want the best possible education that a country has to offer? You wouldnt learn as efficiently studying the material yourself as you would if taught by an expert. You wouldnt absorb as much information going at your own pace as you would if you were competing (for lack of a better word) with other people; e.g. if grades were set on a curve. So why not find the best teachers, the best peers, the best resources, and learn as much as possible? Why would an ideal lover of education not take education seriously?</p>
<p>I think the problem is that youre generalizing a bit too much. A college degree from a top university is worth much more than just bragging rights. Not everyone does it so others can be in awe of their academic prowess- not everyone does it for prestige. Some might actually do it (gasp!) for the education itself. For example, really smart people would be bored at second-tier universities. As for all the teasing about community colleges on CC, there are plenty of people on this site who have already exhausted the options at their local community college while dual-enrolled in their high schools. Others have aced over a dozen AP tests; still others have aced a dozen IB exams; still others have gotten perfect or near-perfect scores on the SAT/ACT. State schools are far too easy by comparison. How can you blame these people for wanting to be challenged in college?</p>
<p>People on CC are often pathetic.
I’m not like them. My reasons for seeking admission into the elite are vastly different.
To me, CC kids are comprised predominantly of well off children, the kind whose parents can afford to send them to the best competitions, the best private schools, internships. Who can afford music lessons, ballet lessons, who have the stable home to provide their children.
If these kids excel, it’s because of what was handed to them and what they did with it.
I cannot relate.</p>
<p>Oh shiiii…she just put all of y’all on blast!</p>
<p>I personally think that if you are trying so hard to go to a good college, your purpose is wrong. </p>
<p>I try to look at the bigger picture: what am I going to do with my life after college? If going to Harvard, etc. is the only way for me to achieve that goal, then I too, might be a extreme try-hard. But in most cases, you really do not need to go to these prestigious colleges to become successful in life. </p>
<p>I personally think that one should do things to be happy. For example, dont try to go to Harvard because you want to brag about it. If you die in your senior year, after you have gotten into harvard, would you look back onto your life and feel accomplished? happy? pleased?.. Or have you lived your life unhappily thinking that Harvard is going to bring you happiness?..</p>
<p>Dying is an unpleasant subject that most would rather not talk about. But let’s face it- you WILL die someday. Are you living your life everyday to the fullest? I mean, are you happy, and are you being productive at the same time? Will you look at your own life and say, “gosh, I lived a fulfilling life!”? These are some of the questions we should all ask ourselves when we thinking onto not only college admissions, but our goals in life.</p>
<p>@Niquii: Lol
@Teaspoons: that’s true, but there is an obvious area where everyone is weak. You can be wise beyond your years, but that doesn’t mean anything without People Skills. You can play Basketball better than anyone in the state, but if you can barely manage a 2.0, it’s hard to keep that scholarship. The point is that when it comes to doing things for college, the administration can tell between those who were burned out academically for four years to pad their application, and those who know how to do what is right for them. I’m not worrying about college yet, High School is the priority, and I just need to do the best I can while I’m there</p>
<p>I want to attend a top school to be around those more intelligent than I.
To learn from them. To become cultured. The prestige is an added bonus.
Also, the elites are the schools where I could obtain a full scholarship. The prospect of graduating with no debt is refreshing.</p>
<p>I understand my application is weak, but that doesn’t mean I cannot aim high.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/14611851-post374.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/14611851-post374.html</a></p>
<p>a lot of times … intelligent people are kind of obvious. so you can find them anywhere. plus, there’s the internet now, which makes being around people smarter than you really easy </p>
<p>hmm, but can one be cultured through the internet? i’m not sure about this.</p>
<p>…alexis sort of just reminded me of a person on CC…</p>
<p>" State schools are far too easy by comparison. "</p>
<p>In terms of the rigor of courses and intensity of studies, I think majoring in English at Harvard would be a lot easier than majoring in Engineering at a good state school.</p>
<p>The categories are:</p>
<p>1) The academically successful <---- labeled the “tryhards” by the lower elements
2) The socially successful
3) The academically and socially successful <---- pinnacle of success
4) The not-so-academically successful
5) The no-so-socially successful
6) Neither academically nor socially successful <---- the people who do the labeling </p>
<p>The people in this thread have mostly been painting an illusion of group 1 vs. group 2. This makes them feel better about their own shortcomings. What they fail to realize is that there is a vaunted third club - group 3 - in which academic success and social success are not mutually exclusive. This is the synthesis; the pinnacle of perfection. Complaining about how you chose not to challenge yourself academically to retain a social life relegates you to one of the lower groups. Suck it up, and face the fact that you’re not capable. Or, suck it up, grit your teeth, and strive to join the third group. </p>
<p>Don’t be a Group Sixer. </p>
<p>Join Group Three. I feel lonely.</p>
<p>@Alexis. Please don’t generalize. I had to fight for every single thing I got by far. I secured internships by myself and never got a chance to go to a private school.</p>
<p>@Fantasy, Congrats to your sister. However, what I said was that I want to be the best researcher I can possibly be. I want to make change on a large scale. I want to someday be a PI of a lab that publishes multiple high yield publications. And to do any of that, you need to train with the best, get a PhD from a well respected school etc. etc. I think there is much to gain by being around amazing people and have access to amazing resources. While you can be successful coming from anywhere (this depends on what you define as success), I strongly feel that it’d be much easier to be successful with a PhD in Biochem from HCYM than from Podunk state. I’m definitely not devaluing what your sister is doing- she really is an extraordinary person and the world needs more people like her. However, I wouldn’t be satisfied with doing that, so I need to work harder to achieve my goals.</p>
<p>Plus, I’m hardly confident about my chances. I just know that I have a shot, just like any other person and I intend to make the most of it 
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<p>@Cheeriosformilk. You nailed it. Group 3 is the way to go 8)</p>